Russell Brand Just Became The General Election's Key Battleground After Late Night Ed Miliband Meeting

Ed Miliband's late-night clandestine interview with Russell Brand has set off a political firestorm today with David Cameron mercilessly attacking the Labour leader for submitting to an interview with the comedian turned activist.

Brand's 'The Trews' YouTube series has more than a million subscribers and reaches an audience for whom his "don't vote" message resonates. The Labour Party confirmed today Miliband's meeting was for an interview with Brand.

Cameron quickly responded, saying Brand was "a joke" whom he didn't have time to hang out with.

He did, however, have time to give a long quote explaining why he didn't have time to hang out with him.

"He (Brand) says don't vote, that's his whole view, don't vote, it would only encourage them or something.

The Spectator's Steerpike column said: "If Miliband is to appear in an episode of Brand’s online show The TrewsIt’s unclear what the Labour leader hopes to gain from it. Is this really an endorsement any serious potential Prime Minister would want? Brand, after all, isn’t exactly known for his searing political insight.

"He believes the economy is ‘not real, that’s why it’s got the word “con” in it’ and that it is ‘just a metaphorical device’."

Left-wing polemicist Owen Jones said the response of many commentators was "sneering" and said speaking to Brand would connect with "disillusioned young people".

Hey, elitist commentators sneering about Ed Miliband being interviewed by Russell Brand! How many disillusioned young people do you reach?

Some thought Brand might endorse Labour as a result, a position that would be difficult given his stance on voting.

At a screening of a documentary about his work last week, Brand said the General Election was "irrelevant", adding: "Because there's an election it's a good time to market a film about politics and people are more aware of politics.

"I think people want me to talk about the election but watching it again it just makes me think there's no justice, it's dead."

In January, Brand was dismissed as a "pound-shop Ben Elton" by Labour's Ed Balls after the self-styled revolutionary called him a "clicky-wristed snidey c**t".